Holy hour

exp.

Heard in Cork

The time in the middle of the day when pubs in Cork had to remain shut, by law. It lasted for a few hours every day, even on Sundays, and was introduced to make sure that factory workers from Ford's etc. went back to work after lunch instead of going on the piss.

In use

They left us stay inside in the pub during holy hour.

Posh English

They permitted us to remain comfortably indoors at the public house during the statutory midday closure.

  • Back door paddysObtaining alcohol after hours from certain western pubs in Galway via the back entrance.
  • Merciful hour!An exclamation employed in a variety of contexts to express surprise, dismay or…
  • Will you go way hour that!An expression of disbelief or dismissal.
  • Shut yer bakeAn instruction to shut one's mouth and remain silent.
  • Spud timeThe appointed hour in the evening to abandon manual labor and return indoors for dinner.
  • Holy joeA sanctimonious or ostentatiously pious person.